Want Better Tasting Beer? Listen to Music

A new study has found that beer tastes better when consumed while listening to music. In particular, according to a study published in Frontiers of Psychologywith researchers from Belgium, Oxford, and the Netherlands, "those who were familiar with the band that had composed the song, liked the beer more after having tasted it while listening to the song, than those who knew the band, but only saw the label while tasting." Creators of the study believe this new information supports their theory that, "customized sound-tasting experiences" can improve or elevate beverage and/or food-related events.

The study was conducted using three focus groups: a control group that received an unlabeled beer, a group that only received a labeled beer, and a third group that received a labeled beer as well as a short song clip. Based on their results, researchers also suggest beer makers include musicians and researchers in the brewing process.

Researchers used a porter-style beer created by the Brussels Beer Project in collaboration with U.K. rock band The Editors.

"We want to keep assessing how sounds can modulate perceived flavor attributes of food and beverages, such as bitterness, sweetness, sourness and creaminess," said Felipe Reinoso Carvalho, a researcher on the study, to the International Business Times. According to Carvalho, researchers are also interested in assessing whether or not sounds can influence or direct consumer choices for healthier food options.